Daniel Dale Johnston was an American singer, musician and artist regarded as a significant figure in outsider, lo-fi, and alternative music scenes. Most of his work consisted of cassettes recorded alone in his home, and his music was frequently cited for its "pure" and "childlike" qualities.
David Grubbs is an American composer, guitarist, pianist, and vocalist. He was a founding member of Squirrel Bait, Bastro, and Gastr del Sol. He has also played in Codeine, The Red Krayola, Bitch Magnet and The Wingdale Community Singers.
Kranky is an American independent record label in Chicago, Illinois. It was started in 1993 by Bruce Adams and Joel Leoschke. It houses predominantly experimental music artists, often branching into or inspired by ambient, rock, electronic or psychedelic music. Their first release was Labradford's 1993 debut album Prazision. Adams left the label in 2006, after which Leoschke continued running it, with the help of Brian Foote of Kranky band Nudge.
Jagjaguwar is an American independent record label based in Bloomington, Indiana.
The Boston University College of Fine Arts(CFA) is the performing, cinematic, and media arts school of Boston University. Founded in 1872 with the establishment of the College of Music, it is an institution that trains artists, scholars of the arts, and filmmakers. Since the College of Fine Arts is integrated into Boston University, students at CFA may choose courses in the other undergraduate colleges at Boston University. CFA students can also apply for the Boston University Collaborative Degree Program (BUCOP), where students simultaneously earn undergraduate degrees at CFA and in one of 14 undergraduate colleges of the university. The college offers a study abroad program in London, England, and Dresden, Germany. Students can spend a semester at the Royal College of Music, the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art, or at the Hochschule für Musik "Carl Maria von Weber".
The Timeout Drawer is an American post-rock band from Chicago, Illinois, formed in 1999. It consists of Chris Eichenseer, Jason Goldberg, Jon Slusher, and Chris Van Pelt.
No Age is an American noise rock duo consisting of guitarist Randy Randall and drummer/vocalist Dean Allen Spunt. The band is based in Los Angeles, California, and was signed to Sub Pop records from 2008 to 2013. No Age's fourth studio album, Snares Like a Haircut, was released by Drag City on January 26, 2018. Drag City also released Goons Be Gone, their fifth studio album, on June 5, 2020, and their sixth studio album People Helping People in 2022.
Jacob Bannon is an American musician who is the vocalist, lyricist and graphic artist for the metalcore band Converge. He is the co-founder and owner of the record label Deathwish Inc. and the author of many visual works for independent punk rock and heavy metal musicians. Bannon has also composed and performed experimental music as Supermachiner with Ryan Parker and more recently as Wear Your Wounds.
Grouper is the solo project of American musician, artist and producer Liz Harris. She has released material on her own label and other independent labels since 2005. Grouper released the critically acclaimed Dragging a Dead Deer Up a Hill in 2008, followed by five more records, including a two-part album, A I A, and the piano-led album Ruins. Her twelfth album, Shade, was released in 2021.
Drag City is an American independent record label based in Chicago, Illinois. Established in the city in 1990 by Dan Koretzky and Dan Osborn, its first release was a Royal Trux single. It specializes in indie rock, noise rock, psychedelic folk, alternative country, and experimental music. The label has featured numerous critically acclaimed artists, including Bonnie 'Prince' Billy, Bill Callahan, Joanna Newsom, and Silver Jews.
Cave is an American primarily instrumental psychedelic drone band based in Chicago, Illinois, composed of guitarist/organist Cooper Crain, guitarist Jeremy Freeze, bassist Dan Browning, drummer Rex McMurry, and multi-instrumentalist Rob Frye. The band was formed in Columbia, Missouri in 2006, and has released six full-length albums. Cave has toured widely in North America and Europe, and played the Pitchfork Music Festival in 2010.
Vikky Alexander is a Canadian contemporary artist based in Vancouver, British Columbia. She has exhibited internationally since 1981 as a practitioner in the field of photo-conceptualism, and as an installation artist who uses photography, drawing, and collage. Her themes include the appropriated image, and the deceptions of nature and space. Her artworks include mirrors, photographic landscape murals, postcards, video and photography.
Jon Mueller is an American percussionist and composer, active in experimental and rock disciplines.
Locrian is an experimental music/drone rock band which formed in Chicago, Illinois, United States in late 2005 and is currently based in Chicago and Baltimore, Maryland. The band features Terence Hannum, Steven Hess, and André Foisy. The group incorporates influences from multiple genres including ambient, black metal, noise, drone, industrial, and electronics, and cite One Eyed God Prophecy, Uranus, Yes, Genesis, Brian Eno, and Robert Fripp as influences. Locrian lyrics and artwork evoke dystopic and apocalyptic imagery. Over their ten-year history, Locrian have released six studio albums, three collaborative albums, and numerous limited edition releases.
Anna Webber is an American photographer best known for her musician portrait photography, in addition to being an official ambassador for The Multiple Sclerosis Association of America (MSSA) Her work has appeared in Rolling Stone, Spin, People, and Billboard.
Zachary Cale is an American songwriter and musician who grew up in Louisiana but currently lives in Brooklyn, NY. His music combines elements of folk, country, blues, rock and pop styles. His "moody lyrics and accomplished guitar playing have drawn comparisons to Leonard Cohen and John Fahey, and his voice, in its lower register, is eerily reminiscent of early Bob Dylan." He has also been compared to Townes Van Zandt, John Martyn, Donovan, and Nick Drake, and his music has been described as both "emotionally resonant" and "delicate".
Wendy White is an American artist from Deep River, Connecticut who lives and works in New York City.
Barbara Crane was an American artist photographer born in Chicago, Illinois. Crane worked with a variety of materials including Polaroid, gelatin silver, and platinum prints among others. She was known for her experimental and innovative work that challenges the straight photograph by incorporating sequencing, layered negatives, and repeated frames. Naomi Rosenblum notes that Crane "pioneered the use of repetition to convey the mechanical character of much of contemporary life, even in its recreational aspects."
Arrhythmia is a studio album by American hip hop group Antipop Consortium. It was released on Warp on April 2, 2002. It peaked at number 29 on the UK Independent Albums Chart.
Jason Owen, is an American music manager, record executive, and Tony-nominated producer best known for launching artist management company Sandbox Entertainment and leading the careers of Shania Twain, Kacey Musgraves, Faith Hill, Little Big Town, Dan+Shay, and Kelsea Ballerini among others. In 2015, Owen was named one of Billboard's “40 Under 40: Music’s Top Young Power Players”, and has since been included twice in the trade magazine's "Power 100" industry ranking.
